Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Charming the Troublemaker by Pepper Basham

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Title: Charming the Troublemaker
Author: Pepper Basham
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 1, 2017

Troublemaking never looked so good…

When Dr. Alex Murdock is demoted to a university in rural Virginia, the last thing he expects to find is a future. But country charm never looks as good as it does on Rainey Mitchell.

Rainey Mitchell doesn’t need a high-class flirt in her wounded world, but trouble and temptations wafts off the new professor as strong as his sandalwood-scented cologne.

When circumstances thrust them together to save her tutoring clinic, can the troublemaker find the hero inside and encourage the reticent Rainey to open her heart again.

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Charming the Troublemaker by Pepper D. Basham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another winner by the talented Pepper Basham!   And we're back with the wonderful Mitchell family!  Loved it!

We learn a little about Rainey and Alex in the first book of the series, A Twist of Faith.  This book finds their stories more fleshed out.  Rainey is very wounded from her ex-husband's betrayal and Alex is trying to overcome his playboy past.  As a dashingly handsome and annoyingly flirtatious male, Alex doesn't stand a chance with Rainey at first.  But Alex is drawn to Rainey from the beginning, so he does his best to win her over.   It doesn't hurt his cause that he adores Rainey's daughter, Sarah, and Sarah adores him back.  :)   Will Alex break down her walls or will the secret he is protecting tear them apart forever?

I loved the always present humor and humorous situations (think underoos - so hysterical... LOL:D).  I loved the Mitchell family support - Mama Mitchell is always there for her kids.  I loved the swoon worthy, romantic sparkle and sizzle between Rainey and Alex as well as the tenderness Alex has for Sarah.   And I liked that there was a light touch of mystery and suspense in the background to help balance out the story.

 Don't miss out on this wonderful addition to Pepper's heartfelt, romantic, Blue Ridge Mountain stories!

*Thanks to CelebrateLit for a complimentary copy of this book. I was not paid or required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*

View all my reviews on Goodreads.

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes novels peppered with grace and humor and inspired by her love for history and the Blue Ridge Mountains. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of 5 great kids, speech-pathologist to about fifty more, lover of chocolate, jazz, and Jesus. Her debut historical novel, The Thorn Bearer, released in May 2015 and has garnered awards such as Reader’s Favorites Award, finalist in the Grace Awards, shortlisted for the Inspy Awards, and most recently a finalist in the ACFW Carol Awards. Her second historical novel, The Thorn Keeper, released in Feb 2016 and her first contemporary romance, A Twist of Faith, released in April 2016 with a 4 star review from Romantic Times. The third book in the Penned in Time series, The Thorn Healer, released in December 2017 with a 4 1/2 star review from Rt and Top Pick rating.

Pepper’s first novella arrived in March as part of a Love at First Laugh novella compilation and her novel, Just the Way You Are, released on April 6th – a funfilled Britallachian romance!

Find Pepper on her website http://www.pepperdbasham.com/ or on her group blog www.thewritersalleyblog.com or on social media here:
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pepper-D-Basham
Twitter - https://twitter.com/pepperbasham
Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/pepperbasham/

Guest Post from Pepper Basham

I have a thing for underdogs.  Misfits.  Lost souls who desperately need to find where they belong.

I can’t help it! Call it a ‘fix-it’ mentality or an awareness that God rescued me and now I want to rescue other people…even fictional characters, but I’m definitely a softy for those characters that people are less likely to root for. Catherine from The Thorn Bearer/Keeper became my first rescue…and I just HAD to find another.

I guess that’s how Charming the Troublemaker came into existence.

Dr. Alex Murdock desperately needed to be rescued. In a bad way.

If you’ve had a chance to read my first book in the Mitchell’s Crossroads series, A Twist of Faith, you’ll know that Alex doesn’t seem to be made up of much hero material. He’s a flirt, a little arrogant, and…well, kind of like a lost puppy.

As Book 1 grew and came to a close, I knew Alex and Rainey’s story would be next…but I immediately ran into a real problem.

Who in the world was Alex Murdock? We really didn’t get to know him very much in Book 1. He zoomed in a few times, ruffling feathers and then finally showing off some interesting kindness/compassion in the end, but…he was still a big-time flirt.

So the question emerged: Can a flirt be a hero?

What is Alex hiding behind that ready smile and sense of humor? Why does he seem so lost?

The answers were surprising!! Just wait.

The Mitchell family draw him right in, as they did with Dee, and his world is forever changed.

And then there’s Rainey. Strong-willed and independent, she is deeply wounded by her ex-husband’s betrayal. Though she gives off all these ‘confident’ vibes, she hides her insecurities behind a tough exterior in a desire to keep people at a distance – well, everyone except her family.

Alex rocks her world with his ready charm.

And she sees beyond the plastic grin to recognize another wounded soul.

Throwing them together into a book has been a hilarious and heart-stirring adventure, I wasn’t prepared to encounter. They’re so much fun!

AND…he’s ADORKABLE!! Seriously!! He is SUCH a dork, but makes me grin. And…he looks like Armie Hammer 😉

Let me just give you a hint to some of my favorite scenes:

Anything with Sarah!

Underoos

All of the scenes in Rainey’s house

And those in Mama Mitchell’s

Okay, I like the WHOLE STORY…and I can’t wait to see what you think too.

By The Book, November 14

Just the Write Escape, November 14

Avid Reader Book Reviews, November 15

Reading Is My SuperPower, November 15

Moments Dipped in Ink, November 15

Fiction Aficionado, November 16

autism mom, November 16

Fiction, Faith, and Fun, November 17

Inklings and Notions, November 17

Faithfully Bookish, November 18

Radiant Light, November 18

Reflections From My Bookshelves, November 19

The Power of Words, November 19

Cordially Barbara, November 20

Red Headed Book Lady, November 20

Smiling Book Reviews, November 20

Kat’s Corner Books, November 21

A Greater Yes, November 21

100 Pages per Hour, November 22

Splashes of Joy, November 22

Carpe Diem, November 23

Bookworm Mama, November 23

A Baker’s Perspective, November 24

The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate, November 24

Daysong Reflections, November 25

Rachel Scott McDaniel, November 25

Remembrancy, November 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 26

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, November 27

Karen Sue Hadley, November 27

To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away a grand prize of a paper copy of A Twist of Faith, a mug from the Blue Ridge Parkway, one driftwood scented candle, one mango scented candle, and a Troublemaker snickers  highly appropriate. Chocolate with a nutty personality :)!!

Click below to enter. 

Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! 

 https://promosimple.com/ps/c1f1

Tour page on Celebrate Lit for Charming The Troublemaker

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Just the Way You Are by Pepper Basham

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Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Book

Book: Just the Way You Are
Author: Pepper Basham
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Single mom, Eisley Barrett, prefers to keep romance safely housed within a centuries-old mystery, but when she travels to England to unearth the secret, an actor with a sordid past offers her reluctant heart a very different type of discovery.

Wes Harrison has a past he’s ashamed to confess. Suspicious and cynical, he’s managed to avoid romantic entanglements since a tragedy upended his career and life, that is until American Eisley Barrett comes along. Her authenticity and kindness upend his bitter assumptions and send his heart into unscripted territory.

When his past threatens to ruin a second chance at love, can some Appalachian matchmaking and letters from the grave salvage their unexpected romance?

Humor, love, mystery, cute kids, crazy families, and culture clashes make this Britallachian Romance a unique and delightful romantic comedy sprinkled with adventure.

My Review

Just the Way You Are by Pepper D. Basham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Can I just start out by ROFL!  :) :)  This story was so much fun!  A complete leave-the-world-behind-and-live-in-a-fairy-tale story!  With lots of laughter and swoon worthy moments as well as Pepper's typical meaningful life lessons, you'll want to grab a copy soon!

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: The Thorn Healer by Pepper D. Basham

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Series: Penned in Time
Genre: Fiction, Historical, Romance, Christian

Publisher: Vinespire Publishing

Publication date: December 6, 2016

Number of pages: 327Fiction, Historical, Romance, Christian

Jessica Ross' scars run much deeper than the wounds of war. Determined to escape the ghosts of her past and the German influence on her nightmares, she returns home to the sleepy Appalachian town of Hot Springs, NC, only to find the renowned Mountain Park Hotel has been converted into a 'prison' for displaced Germans. To Jessica's dismay, her grandparents have befriended one of the treacherous internees.

August Reinhold has not only found kinship with Jessica's grandparents, but as they share their granddaughter's letters from the Front, he discovers a surprising bond drawing him toward the independent and beautiful woman. Displaced by a war and a painful history, he finds Hot Springs and the intriguing Jessica Ross a tempting place to start over. Determined to scale the heights of her bitterness and show her the power of love, August faces more than just Jessica's resistance but a more devious design to harm the civilian sailors housed in Hot Springs.

Will August's tender pursuit bring Jessica the healing and hope she needs, or will bitterness force her into the hands of a "true" enemy waiting to destroy much more than her heart?

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The Thorn Healer by Pepper D. Basham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

View all my reviews on Goodreads.

What an awesome story!   This author writes with such a depth of emotion that your heart gets involved in the feelings and lives of the characters!  I was hooked the first time I read a book by Pepper D. Basham and she's now an author that I won't hesitate to buy any new book she writes! :)

Clash of the Titles: End of the Year Line Up

It's the end of our CLASH year, and we've lined up some awesome holiday reading (and gift ideas!) for this month's Clash of the Titles.
Vote for your Ideal curl up in front of a fire read!

Scroll through these releases and cast your vote for your perfect idea of a next read.

It's a tough choice, but it's up to you to determine our Clash Champion!

Risking Love

Brenda S. Anderson

A play-it-safe bank employee falls for a down-on-his-luck, risk-taking widower.

Can she risk loving a man whose home she may have to take away?

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: A Twist of Faith by Pepper D. Basham

~Be sure to check out the GIVEAWAY below.~

Series: Mitchell's Crossroads Series Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Publication Date: April 6, 2016 Number of pages: 308 A witty, sweet romance with memorable, honest charactersLove does not have an accent ...  Dr. Adelina Roseland has worked ten years in research as an accent reduction specialist to attain her dream job. But a secret wager to transform Appalachian cattle farmer Reese Mitchell into corporate material challenges Adelina in ways she never expected, threatening her new position. ​ For one, Adelina didn't plan for the faith and friction of Reese, or the unexpected influence of his chaotic family. Now, drawn into a culture she'd tried to forget, ​

Adelina finds the warmth of family, the hope of faith, and the joy of love melting away the deep wounds of her past.

But when Reese discovers that he's a pawn in her climb up the academic ladder, will he forgive Adelina s deceit or will their miscommunication end in two broken lives? ​​

Available to purchase on
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A Twist of Faith by Pepper D. Basham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another awesome book by Pepper D. Basham! She's such a good writer that you can feel the depth of each person's emotions. It takes your breath away! :)

I loved the journey to faith that Dee takes in this story. As with her other books, Pepper takes you deep. Deep into the feelings of failure and guilt, of not being good enough, of being so wounded, angry and closed off. And then she leads you deep into the awareness of God's grace, forgiveness, unconditional love, and hope for a new life.

Aside from the wonderful God moments, there is also plenty to laugh about and lots of sizzle between Dee and Reese! :D I died laughing at this part which happens very early in the book - "Reese slammed more pieces of wood into the pile, positioned a few in the grate, and pulled a lighter from it's place near the hearth. "Want me to light your fire tonight?" She turned from the casserole so fast he thought she might fall over. "Excuse me?" When Reese replayed the question in his mind, he was pretty sure he'd already started the fire-on his face. "I mean, do you want me to heat things up in here for you." Her eyes grew wider. His face got hotter. "Let me fix you up a fire." He pointed to the fireplace to rule out any doubt. "Right here. In the fireplace"." LOL :D

Reese's family is also a huge part of the story and I loved them! They are very integral to the softening, healing, and changing that Dee makes in the story. As well as helping Reese to see the things that he's still holding onto from his past.

I really enjoyed this take on the "My Fair Lady/Pygmalion" story. Coming from a city girl that transplanted to the south many years ago, I could appreciate how the differences in dialect could sound so rough to Dee's ears. But Dee is quickly drawn to the warmth of this Appalachian family and after awhile it just sounds like home.

Please don't miss out on this book! You'll laugh, cry, sigh, swoon, get frustrated, feel loved, hopeful and so much more. In other words you'll find yourself heart deep in this story!

*Thanks to SLBTours for a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions stated are my own.*

View all my reviews

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of 5 great kids, speech-pathologist to about fifty more, lover of chocolate, jazz, and Jesus, and proud AlleyCat over at a group writing blog, The Writer’s Alley. Her debut historical romance novel, The Thorn Bearer, released in May 2015, with the second arriving in February 2016. Her first contemporary romance debuts in April 2016.

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Interview via SLB Tours

1. What was the hardest part of wring A Twist of Faith? The easiest? 
Finding time to write. :)  For me the HARDEST part of writing is creating chapters 3-7, kind of the transition part – but the characters and setting really became the gold in this story world.

2. What kind of research did you do for this book?
Well, I asked my good friend who is a cattle farmer for some solid information on calf birthing and basic farming. Those were some FUN conversations and he’s such a great guy! (Thanks, Buford)

3. Do you have a music playlist that you listened to while writing this novel?  What songs were on this playlist?
Oh yes! I love having songs go along with stories. One of the main ones is When Love Takes you In by Steven Curtis Chapman– a song that really has the heart of Adelina’s journey. Also, I Believe by Holly Starr. I also wrote a song to go along with this particular novel (and books 2 and 3 in this series) I also listen to bluegrass.

4. What is the background story behind A Twist of Faith?
I am a big fan of the movie My Fair Lady, which fits really well with my profession as a speech-language pathologist, so this story came about as a combination of my two professions  And placing it in the Blue Ridge Mountains was a bonus for me because I LOVE my Appalachian culture.
​
5. Along with being an author, you are a speech-language-pathologist.  Can you tell us more about your
career and experience with this?
My profession of speech-language pathologist covers lots of different things – not just kids who have difficulty saying their speech sounds. It includes comprehension of words, use of words, and creation of words. It also includes working with adults who’ve had strokes or brain injuries, as well as accent modification.  My particular specialty is working with kids on the Autism Spectrum, but I’ve worked with almost everything in the speech-language disorder realm except swallowing. I’m not a fan of working with swallowing/trach disorders. :)

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April 4--Reading Is My SuperPower
April 5--Toni Shiloh Prayerfully-Lifted Romance
April 6--The Power of Words | Puddletown Reviews
April 7--The Green Mockingbird | Smiling Book Reviews | By The Book
April 8--Wishful Endings | Katie's Clean Book Collection | Deal Sharing Aunt
April 9--Rachael's Reads | Singing Librarian Books

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: The Thorn Keeper by Pepper D. Basham

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Genre:  Fiction, Historical, Romance, Christian
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
Publication Date: February 28, 2015
Number of pages: 402



With her past in shambles, how can she fashion a future of hope?

Catherine Dougall’s past of manipulation has left her future in threads. With a new faith, she longs to take the remnants of her life and make something beautiful, but shame, societies’ judgments, and the natural consequences of an unplanned pregnancy test her newfound hope. Dr. David Ross doesn’t help either. His kindness, sacrifice, and tenderness tempt her to impossible dreams. A fallen woman doesn’t merit a fairytale.
David Ross has made every effort to keep his life above reproach. His passion for the sick pump fresh purpose through his choices, but without financial support to maintain his war hospital, all is lost. When his notorious aunt offers an easy solution, David is tempted to give in to her demands, but his growing affection for the reformed flirt, Catherine Dougall, unwinds the careful wall around his heart and offers an unexpected choice.

​When the worst of war tears them apart, can love renew the memory of what was lost or will tragedy steal away their hope forever.

From the beautiful Derbyshire countryside to the trenches of World War One, Catherine and David must learn to trust in a God who designs a masterpiece out of brokenness and fashions hope in the most unlikely places.

Available to purchase on
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Pepper D. Basham has a way of writing that grabs at your heartstrings.  Although not quite as intense as the first book, the story of Catherine still has a depth of emotions that will keep you enthralled page after page.

So, the disliked Catherine of the first book has found her way to brokenness and repentance and is striving to be what God is calling her to be.   She is facing the consequences of her sins and has many obstacles to overcome in her battle to be a better person.  As much as you might dislike her in the first book, you'll come to admire & love her in this book.  She's a strong character and once she surrenders to God and repents and asks forgiveness of those she's hurt, she stays strong but in much better ways.

David and Catherine's love story has many ups and downs and is beautiful and heart-wrenching at the same time.  The pull of David's dream and the scheming of his aunt makes it hard for him to surrender to the pull of loving Catherine.   And Catherine's past causes her to be wary of forming any attachment to any man.   You'll cry and then sigh in delight at the romance between these two.

The themes of grace, forgiveness, hope, healing, and reconciliation continue in this book.  Again, just like the first book, The Thorn Bearer, I was pulled into and captivated by the story of these two sisters.  You won't forget this story!

*Thanks to SLB Tours for the complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*

View all my reviews

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of 5 great kids, speech-pathologist to about fifty more, lover of chocolate, jazz, and Jesus, and proud AlleyCat over at a group writing blog, The Writer’s Alley. Her debut historical romance novel, The Thorn Bearer, released in May 2015, with the second arriving in February 2016. Her first contemporary romance debuts in spring 2016.

GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTERST | AMAZON | WEBSITE

​David stopped in the shadows as Catherine caught up with a young woman on the threshold of a dilapidated building. The girl looked unwell, with the frame of an advanced pregnancy and the pallor of hunger. Her tattered dress barely offered any barrier from the early autumn chill. David couldn’t understand the exchange, but Catherine’s intentions became clear.
She set the basket of food down at the woman’s feet and slipped off her fashionable coat. Despite the obvious objections of the girl, Catherine wrapped the coat about the girl’s shoulders, brooking no refusal. David’s grin started slow and spread across his face.
Catherine wasn’t consorting with people from her past.
She was living graciously in her present.
His chest expanded with a warm rush of relief…and something else less definable.
Catherine turned back toward his direction. He waited for her to step into the alleyway before emerging from his hiding place.
“Miss Dougall?”
“Dav—” She snapped her rose lips closed around his name and blinked those large sapphire eyes at him. “What on earth are you doing here?”
“I was wondering the same about you.”
She pressed her palm to her chest and drew in a deep breath.  “I…I was completing an errand.”
“That took you all the way to Old Rutland?”
She opened her mouth to answer but then stopped. The twinkle in her eyes should have provided fair warning before she unleashed her disarming smile, but it unfurled with unsteadying potency, leaving him a bit mesmerized. She unwittingly wielded it like a weapon, but oh, what a dangerous tool if she ever used it with purpose.
“You have the most impeccable timing, Dr. Ross.”
Her sudden change in topic took him off-guard. “Do I?”
She tossed a look over her shoulder as she walked back toward Main Street. “Providential, you might even say.”
The pixie glint teased his own smile alive. “Oh really?”
Her gaze took a subtle pleading turn. “Would you happen to have an extra pound? Or several shillings at the very least.”
He covered his growing smile by looking away. After witnessing her exchange with the poor woman on the street, he knew very well why she needed the additional funds. “Didn’t I give you enough for the supplies this morning?”
“Yes…well, I procured a few additional items.” She rubbed her palms against her arms in an attempt to warm herself against the morning breeze, deliberately keeping her gaze from his. “Unforeseen, you understand.”
David unbuttoned his coat. “And you lost your coat?”
“Yes, about that.” She looked down at her gown as if realizing her loss. Her words formed slowly, and he could almost see the frantic search for an excuse evolving in her pretty head. “I must have left it somewhere.”
He wrapped his coat around her shoulders, and a few loose strands of her ebony curls tickled his knuckles. He paused, fastened in place by sapphire eyes, the scent of lavender, and a growing tenderness. “How very careless of you.” His words worked out through a whisper.
Catherine pinched the coat against her throat and stepped back, breaking whatever spell held him in place. “I’m afraid it is a rather unlovely character trait, my dear doctor. Yet another flaw to add to my needed reforms.” Her smile returned with a little too much brightness. “But about those extra funds?”
He’d give her persistence, as well as a few other distracting descriptions. Their friendship was an odd one, but authentic in ways he’d never experienced. He knew her past and had witnessed her transformation. Somehow, the knowledge inspired an inexplicable protectiveness and exquisite freedom. No games. No social dance. Beautiful authenticity.
“Miss Dougall, you are aware that we have a strict budget during these war times?"
She fidgeted with the edge of her gloves and finally released a sigh. “I… I reallocated some of the money.”
“You reallocated it?” He punched his lips tight against his burgeoning smile.
“For the best possible reasons.”
“Well, if it is for the best reasons.” He took off his hat and dusted the brim. “I suppose we can cut rations for the wounded to make up the difference.”
She whimpered, eyes rounding like a wounded animal’s. "Over an extra pound?"
She must have recognized his teasing because she narrowed those feline eyes and jammed one hand on her hip. "You enjoy that, don’t you?”
“What? Cutting rations?”
“Not once do you torment my sister with your teasing, and certainly not my mother, but me?” She wagged her finger at him, unleashing his smile. “You practically torture me with it."
“No one else is quite so entertaining."
“Indeed.” She waved a hand in the air. “I assume then, you know exactly why I need the extra money?”
“And how you lost your coat.”
“Yes, that.” Her gaze lingered in his for a second longer, tightening the inexplicable bond he had with her. She looked away. “All because of your ridiculous aunt.”
“My aunt?”
Catherine resumed her walk with a quicker step, a habit he’d noticed when she was particularly annoyed or thinking. He rushed to keep up.
“The way she pushes people around in this town is ridiculous. The weak. The strong. She doesn’t care who they are as long as she holds them under her wrinkled old thumb. How can she be so unfeeling?” Catherine paused to send a scorching glare. “She is such a…such a—”
“Buzzard? Snake?”
Her brows rose. “To name a few.”
He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. “What about viper, or perhaps tyrant, or—”
“Wait.” She stopped him with a raised hand. “Why are you helping me come up with insults for her? Aren’t you supposed to keep me on the straight and narrow?”
“Admittedly.” He looked up to the sky, making a poor attempt at keeping his expression thoughtful. He preferred a lighthearted turn in the conversation, untainted by his aunt’s reputation. “But I can only imagine the choices I offered were of a kinder nature than the ones rolling around in that head of yours.”
Catherine opened her mouth as if to object and then stopped, clearly revisiting a few unnamed insults. She offered a repentant sigh. “You’re right.”
“And which of those horrible attributes of my aunt’s has inflamed your cause for justice today?
“This time?” Catherine stepped onto Main Street and slid him a glare. “She’s in danger of becoming a murderer.”

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February 29--Singing Librarian Books

March 1--Toni Shiloh Prayerfully-Lifted Romance | Smiling Book Reviews

March 2--Just Commonly 

March 3--A Holland Reads

March 4--The Green Mockingbird

March 5--Reading Is My SuperPower